Preventing Burnout on the Raw Food Diet

Feeling Burned out and at a loss of ideas on how to eat on the raw food diet?  Read on and don’t give up!!!  You are not alone.

Have you ever talked to people who say “I used to be raw?” or “I got bored and tired of coming up with ways to make my meals interesting on the raw food diet?”  I don’t want you to be one of those people!  As always, I am committed to helping you find ways to stay interested in this way of eating.  Some of us also have the added pressure of keeping our families interested in eating live foods.  The reality is that usually (not always) one person is keeping the others in the house motivated to go and stay raw.  This can feel like a great deal of pressure and can create burn out if you are not careful.  Or you may feel all alone in this way of eating.  I assure you that you are not alone and there are ways to keep yourself motivated.

My husband hit a wall this week and said “I just can’t eat another salad!”  He had been in the habit of eating salads for dinner for quite some time.  I work late most week nights and he is on his own a great deal of the time to prepare his dinner.  He got into a rut with the kind of salad he was preparing and just burned himself out.  I decided it was time to step in and help out a bit as I could see him struggling with what to prepare for himself. 

It can be tricky to keep things interesting, especially if you are not eating the richer gourmet raw dishes on a regular basis.  Sometimes we do hit a wall with our food and need to be reminded of some things to keep us going.  I have listed a few ideas below to help you out if you are growing weary of the same old foods and/or if you are just feeling unmotivated with your raw food journey right now.

1.  Know that it is normal to get really excited about a new way of eating and then to feel the pull to go back to old habits.  Most of us grew up with cooked foods and going out and smelling the enticing aroma of cooked foods can try and talk us into going backwards.  It’s okay to have the urge to go back to cooked foods, but resist acting on the urges!  It may seem easier to just pick up a quick something made for you but you are giving your power away and potentially compromising your health.

2.  Keep a list of reasons why you are eating raw foods in a place you see daily.  Write out all the improvements in your body, mind,and spirit you have experienced from eating live foods.

3.  Get out a raw cookbook and try a new recipe.  Get some new ideas for salads, dressings, entrees, and drinks.  Try a new recipe each week.

4.  Invest in a dehydrator if you do not already have one and make some onion bread, raw cookies, kale chips, fruit leather, oatmeal breakfast bars, etc. to keep things fun and interesting.

5.  Attend a raw-food meet up group in your area or get on line to some raw food sites that provide support and encouragement.

6.  Make sure you are getting a variety in your diet.  Eat what is in season and try one new fruit, veggie, nut, seed, etc…each week.

7.  Invite people over to make a raw dinner together. 

8.  Make a live green soup that you slightly heat instead of a salad for a nice change.

9.  Look at other areas of your life that may feel stagnant or boring.  Maybe you are just bored with your life and not just the diet!  Add some adventure to your life by planning something fun for yourself to do on a regular basis.  A neighbor of mine told me about a qi gong class offered at our local beach on Saturday mornings.  I went this weekend and had an amazing time.  Moving the energy shifted my mood in positive ways and I had the best weekend I have had in a long time.  I will be going back next week and I am already finding myself feeling peaceful and happy just knowing I have this to look forward to.

10.  Do not buy into lies that what you eat does not affect your health.  The truth is that we are what we eat and organic raw foods are the most energizing foods to consume. 

11.  Get your leafy greens in when you make your morning smoothie then have a different kind of salad for another meal during the day. 

For examples of some things I did differently this week:

Chopped brocoli salad
3 brocoli crowns – chopped very finely

3 celery stalks – chopped finely

2 carrots – chopped finely

1 cup red cabbage – shredded

1/4 cup currants

I mixed all this up with some apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, cumin, and a little agave.  It was crunchy and delicious.

Zuccini sandwhiches

1 zuccini – sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

marinated sundried tomatoes

hummas

Place a sun-dried tomatoe in the midde of two zuccini slices and dip in hummas.  This is so good!

I also sliced some ripe tomatoes and dehydrated them while I was at work.  I then spread some raw hummas on them and topped with sprouts for a satisfying dinner treat.

The simple things you can come up with are endless.  If you are really concerned that you may have a big relapse, indulge yourself in some slighly steamed asparagus topped with olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and lemon juice.  I did that last weekend and it helped me through a tempting time.

I care about you all and want you to know I am holding a steady solid place for you in times of weakness.  Let me know what other kids of tips you need.  Together, we can stay raw and thrive!!!

To your health,

Katy Joy

Kids in the Kitchen

Happy Earth Day!

I feel a deep connection to our wonderful Mother Earth as I write my weekly blog post.   Rick and I attended the Nation’s Largest Earth Day Celebration today in Balboa Park ( San Diego, CA. ) It was awesome to see thousands and thousands of people learning about more ways to respect the environment and each other.

Kids are on my mind today.  I was blessed in a very meaningful way last night as two beautiful children, Destiny and Sean, invited Rick and I over for a raw food dinner.  Their parents are dear friends of ours and we had them over a few months ago for a raw feast.  The kids were very intrigued by this way of preparing food and gobbled it up. They came over again and had the same experience.

They decided to experiment more at home with raw food prepping and told their mom they wanted to make a dinner for me as a way of saying “Thank You”.  Destiny is 12 and Sean is 8.  They made zucchini pasta with pesto sauce and a live tomato basil soup, followed by a banana chocolate dessert.  It was all so tasty.  I was so delighted to see them in the kitchen having fun preparing the meal.  Destiny told me “I love the way this kind of food makes me feel.”  She said she feels better when she eats raw food.   Sean was too busy enjoying the delicious meal to comment.

If you have the opportunity to include kids in your raw food prepping, I encourage you to do so.  Don’t underestimate the impact it will have on their well-being.

I am grateful for children in my life such as Destiny and Sean and to their parents for being open and willing to having them create in the kitchen!

Have a great day and remember to love Mother Earth and her children in your own special way!

Blessings,

Katy Joy

Hot Latte Alternative: Katy’s Coconut Cream Tea

Do find yourself having a hard time giving up those comforting chai tea and/or coffee lattes?  Would like to find another soothing warm drink that is a bit easier on your system?  I think I have just the drink for you! 

Many of who have been transitioning into enjoying more live foods in our diet have certain “treats” that have been hard to give up.   It’s not easy to find a  satisfying substitute for chai tea lattes!  At least not for me.     I was recently overseas in some cooler climates and I noticed that the local coffee shops were jammed packed.  People gather at those types of places to meet up socially or just sneak some time away for themselves to read, study, or chill out.  The entire atmosphere is very enticing to just give in and have a “little something.”  Unfortunately most of the coffee houses only offer soy alternatives for a creamer.  I must admit, I gave into an old habit of having a dairy-free chai tea latte but did not like how it left me feeling. 

 Below is my substititute for a warm yummy drink.  I  like it even better than what the coffee houses have to offer.  It is quick and easy and does not require any special equipment to make.

Katy’s Coconut Creme Tea

• Coconut milk or flavored coconut creamer by So Delicious
• 2 decaf/herbal tea bags of your choice (I rotate between nettle leaf, twig leaf, chai, and green tea).
• 2 drops cinnamon essential oil (I use Young Living Oils) - Cinnamon has proved to be extremely effective in treating numerous diseases such as flatulence, rheumatism, exhaustion, low blood pressure, stress and constipation.   It is also useful in fighting indigestion problems.
• Hot water

Directions:  Pour desired amount of coconut milk on bottom of a mug, add tea bags and oil, pour hot water over all this mixture and let steep for 5 minutes. 

I like to use a stainless steel travel mug and have this in the morning at work.  This seems to satisfy my desire for the chai tea lattes I used to drink up but does not have the caffeine and excess sugar.  Give a try and see what you think.   As always, it’s just a tip.  Use if you like or just move on if it’s not for you. 

Give this coconut cream tea a try and see how you like it.  Better yet, experiment with your own creation! 

Have a great week!  Keep adding in the greens as much as you can!!!

Katy Joy

Surrounding Yourself with Support!

Hi Everyone!

I just returned from quite an adventure abroad.  I am very grateful for the extended time away from work.  I can’t say enough for the healing power of going about your day by following your natural rhythms versus the imposed schedule of the work day many of us have to adhere to in order to keep our employment.

Tomorrow I return to work and I am not sure I am ready.   I had so much fun traveling and laughing and making new friends.  I started off on a trip to Sri Lanka and was then headed to Nepal for a trek in the Himalayas.  To my surprise, I ended up in the UK trekking all around the beautiful countryside and then seeing my step daughter who moved to England.  It was very empowering for me to allow myself to change the itinerary mid stream and get the vacation I really needed.  As I followed my intuition and allowed my inner guide to direct me, I had one of the best times of my life.

As fate would have it, I was fortunate enough to meet- like minded individuals on my journey who know about and partake in the raw food lifestyle.  With the support of my new found friends, we got lots of greens in on a daily basis and I was even given the opportunity to create green smoothies, raw soups, and salads in the kitchens of the UK!  A dear friend, Carey Ravden, is one of the owners of The Glencot House in Somerset, England.  I had the luxury of staying with her there for a week.  It’s hard to describe the magic of this English Manner(check it out at www.glencothouse.co.uk)  and the surrounding areas.  I felt as if  I was living in a fairy tale.  Carey discovered the healing powers of raw food a few years ago and did her part in spreading the word by hosting workshops at the Glencot House.

I was given permission to create raw foods along side the tradtional chefs at the Hotel.  They were amazed at what you can do with greens.  It was so fun to educate them by demonstration.  They had  many questions about greens and why you would consume them on a daily basis.    It was a true delight to provide an alternative way of eating to this group of amazing Brits!  And by the way, to have a chef and kitchen staff that are friendly to an “outsider” is quite unheard of in many cases and I was so grateful that they opened up to me with interest and curiosity.

Once I left The Glencot house, I made my over to the other side of  Great Britain to see my step daughter and her boyfriend.  As always, I ventured out my first morning  to hunt for fresh fruits and vegetables.  Brighton is very vegan friendly and has many wonderful places to get juices, smoothies, salads, etc.  I found a local organic whole foods market and loaded up on live food to bring back and create fresh food at Kara’s.  I loved seeing them gobble down the salads.  I also loved having my entire day devoted to exploring new places by foot, finding new veggies and fruits, and having unlimited time to create live food.

I was happy to see the interest “out there” for raw foods and optimal health.  I first went to England, in 1983, to spend a semester at Oxford University.  At that time, I remember eating a very unhealthy diet as that was all that seemed to be available.  Things have really changed…so good to see!  Carey and I took a cab in London (on a very rainy day) to Planet Organic, her local whole foods store.  The cab driver was very curious about the store and drilled us about greens and how to start becoming healthier.   He told us he wished he could take us home to continue education himself on how to change his diet.  We suggested he start with a green smoothie and continue the investigation on his own as that is really the best way for someone to make the changes – their own way, on their own time frame.

The day after I got back to the US there was a raw food meet-up group in our area.  Rick and I decided to stop talking about going and went to it.  There were all ages there  – we even met a raw baby named Cherimoya who was just glowing.  There was a talk about enzymes followed by a food demonstration.  Even though I am highly motivated to eat as much live food as possible and practice optimal health habits, it was still inspiring to have the support.  We will continue to go to our local meet-up groups for raw foodists and deepen our connection with others following this path.

I encourage you to reach out and make friends with others who are into raw foods.  It makes the lifestyle easier and much more fun!!!

Much love and light to you all!

Katy Joy